Discouraged: Not Growing Like I Should

Training Bodybuilding
41

[quote]IvanTheTerrible wrote:
Let me start by saying that although I am “Discouraged and frustrated,” I don’t plan to stop working out or anything. I’m just looking for a little advice or additional motivation, I guess.

I’m not sure where to begin. I’m 30 years old, 5’-9" and weigh 187lbs. I’ve gained about 20 lbs in the last year and a half or so. I suppose most of it is muscle because while I haven’t lost the 16-ish% bodyfat that I carry, I definately havent gained more.

I’ve been in the 185-189lb range for at least 7 months. I’m stuck. I think I’m losing some fat, or building some muscle, or a combination of both, though. I definately look a little bigger than I have in the past, and I’m definately stronger. Friends that I dont see often notice the difference, which is cool. But I feel like I’m missing something.

Without getting into too much detail, I lift for 40 minutes in the mornings (hard) Mon, Wed, and Fri on an A/B split. A=Vertical push/pull and deads, and B=horizontal push/pull and squats. Tues and Thurs I do medicine ball core work and sandbag work. (Just got a tire, too, for pulling/pushing and sledgehammer work.) I switch the reps/sets each workout. For example, last week was ABA, where A was 5X5 heavy and B was 4X10 less heavy. This week, BAB, where B is 5X5 and A is 4X10.

I think my issue is diet… I dont think I eat enough, but I can’t figure out how to eat more. I get about 2700 calories a day: Fat 132.9, Carbs 145.3, Protein 227.1. Fats from olive and flaxseed oil, fish oil, avocado, etc… carbs from mostly oatmeal, fruit, and milk, and protein from whey, meats and eggs. I dont eat like shit… i just dont eat enough. I work all day, and as it is I’m the only person at the office that blends shakes, has a stash of canned tuna and chicken, keeps jugs of protein and quaker oats under his desk and has Outlook reminders for my snack schedule.

In principle, I feel like I am doing everything right, but I am not growing like I feel I should. What do you guys think?

-I[/quote]

Hmmm i’m also bulking and by lunch time i have eaten

Breakfast 5.30am 1000 calories
1 bowl ceral w/milk
1 cup tea
2 slices jam on toast
1 pint milk w/whey protein

gym 7am

pwout 9 am
one mass gain shake with pint milk 850 calories

11am homemade mass shake
1/2 cup oats
2 tb Pbutter
1 tb Olive oil
2 scoops whey concentrate
1 tbs cocoa powder
1 banana
1 pint milk

about 800/900 calories

Lunch – which i just ate — 1 meat feast pizza — 1000 calories
over 3500 calories by just after lunch (altho i am up very early)

42

Thanks for the info everyone. Keep it coming - it’s very much appreciated.

It’s 10:30AM and I’ve already had 1040 calories.

-I

43

[quote]Itchy wrote:
IvanTheTerrible wrote:
For the pre-workout shake, what do you suggest? Gym opens at 6. I’m up at 5:30 and drink the protein and water while I drive to the gym. Should I substitute the water for juice?

Personally I would eat solid food, but some people have trouble training after eating, which is why I suggested liquid carbs. Anyway, if that’s the only way you can get it down then yeah, have a little juice. People might chime in to say it will raise your blood sugar and blah blah blah but the fact is if you don’t have some fuel before you train then your session isn’t going to be very productive.

[/quote]

Honestly, I would substitute the water for whole milk. If you have a blender, you can through some fruit in there to. Juice will work too, but I like the texture and flavor of milk and protein better then juice, plus you add more protein.

44

Ivan,

I think one other thing will be to track your calories for a while until you get a sense of how much you’re taking in and seeing if it is enough, too little, or too much, but then getting away from counting every calorie. I noticed in your original post you had the grams of macronutrients down to a tenth of a gram! I’m obsessive, but that’s overboard!

Hopefully soon both you and I will figure out, “OK, this is about what kinds of things I need to eat and how much and when,” and then we can get away from recording every bite and just have a good sense of what’s appropriate.

45

LOL… i’m not that obsessive, bro - I only know that because those are the numbers Fitday spits out, lol.

But I hear you - I’m not afraid to overeat or anything like that… I just couldnt think of what else to bring with me to work so I can eat more.

For the rest of the week I’ll just eat more of what I already have on hand, and this weekend I’ll go food-shopping and load up on the stuff we’ve been talking about.

-I

46

[quote]5:45AM - Protein and water on my way to the gym at 5:30AM - How about some oatmeal, or a cereal bar, milk, w/e… you just woke up. Get some food in you.

7AM - Protein with fat free milk, frozen berries, oatmeal, and flaxseed meal after workout
Not terrible, but pretty bad. I certainly hope you’re getting atleast 60g of carbs from that oatmeal alone…

7:40AM - 2 eggs, some cheese, 3 1200mg fish oil pills, OJ
I don’t understand how people only eat two eggs at a time. Try 6. Or 8. Or 10. Whole eggs. 2 eggs is like… ~140 calories. Holy shit.

9AM - Coffee
MORE FOOD? PLZ.

11:30AM - Whey w milk, oatmeal, flaxseed oil and peanut butter, and a fruit
Ok. Third meal now you’re using protein powder. How about a sandwhich with a ton of meat and cheese and all that tasty shit I wish I could eat because i’m dieting.

2PM - rice, home-made guacamole (just avocado, onions, cilantro, tomato, and a little salt) and either a double serving of canned tuna or canned chicken
On bread, right?

4PM - 4 slices of turkey and some cheese
ON BREAD.

7PM - whatever the wife makes. Usually rice, meat of her choice and veggies, with 3 more fish oil pills
Eat more of it then.
[/quote]

When do you go to sleep? Have a shake right before you do.

Eat more red meat. Eat more eggs. Drink more milk. That meal with four slices of turkey and cheese could easily be a sandwhich with some milk.

Good luck.

Also, Professor X is right on the money. Not gaining weight = eat more.

Also… keep a log book and focus on getting stronger every workout. Might be doing this already, but if you’re not, thats an issue too.

47

[quote]IvanTheTerrible wrote:

It’s 10:30AM and I’ve already had 1040 calories.
[/quote]

Amateur.

48

I don’t like to go into that for one simple reason. I’m a big guy and someone a lot smaller than me shouldn’t eat just like me unless they find that doing so is actually what their own body needs to grow.

I don’t count calories specifically. I have a general idea of how much I am eating, but my intake is based on my scale weight when gaining. If the scale isn’t moving at all, than I usually just add more food until it is.

Exceptions to this would be periods where I am specifically trying to hold my body weight (so that my body gets used to it) or if I am trying to instigate some small change in composition while also holding the same weight. If I am just holding a weight, the primary reason for it is usually to establish a new weight set point.

49

well since ive got home on spring break ive been getting about 5 good meals a day(i eat at meal hall back at university) and my dumbell bench went up an easy 10 lbs , could be because im coming back from injury, but the good eatin has a huge part.

more food=more progress, usually

50

first of all, you eat 2700 calories…you know what you have to do, and thats all that matters, it doesnt matter if you did a “good job” tracking your baby meals online or not, thats not whats important…i was ALREADY eating close to double you (yes i worked up to it, and yes i threw up trying to learn to eat that much, and yes it worked) and i wasnt growing…so know what i did?

i started eating an extra 30 egg whites a day and drinking oil after meals when appropriate, to get some extra protein and liquid calories, when i’m short on time or whatever

i do this because i cant have any dairy at all (no shakes, milk etc), its kinda gross, i smell like egg farts, and very expensive, but i am going to make awsome progress again…what are YOU going to do to make sure you grow?

51

[quote]brian.m wrote:
first of all, you eat 2700 calories…you know what you have to do, and thats all that matters, it doesnt matter if you did a “good job” tracking your baby meals online or not, thats not whats important…i was ALREADY eating close to double you (yes i worked up to it, and yes i threw up trying to learn to eat that much, and yes it worked) and i wasnt growing…so know what i did?

i started eating an extra 30 egg whites a day and drinking oil after meals when appropriate, to get some extra protein and liquid calories, when i’m short on time or whatever

i do this because i cant have any dairy at all (no shakes, milk etc), its kinda gross, i smell like egg farts, and very expensive, but i am going to make awsome progress again…what are YOU going to do to make sure you grow?[/quote]

Holy cow, I don’t know what i’d do if I couldn’t have dairy. That would really fuck things up if I wanted to bulk. Props if you can get 5000+ calories a day with no shakes/milk.

dairy/milk/shakes prob make up 3000/out of the 5500 calories i’m getting a day. Your allergy or whatever it is must SUCK.

52

I’m almost exactly the same height and weight you are, I’m going with 3,500-3,800 calories a day. I’m debating bumping it another 300…

53

That’s what I’m shooting for initially to see how it goes. Have you gained weight?

54

Some Far Out On-the-Go Meals

By Avocado

1] Big Fat Scramble

Cook 1-2 strips, diced, of high quality bacon [look for nice even marbling(red to white ratio)] in a pan till you see the fat start to liquify.

Add several handfuls of diced broccoli stalks [now you have something to do with them] and asparagus stalks.

Also add a nice sliced pickled banana pepper

Sate the broc, asparagus and pepper in the delicious bacon until they are soft and nice bright green.

Add 4-8 eggs [based on need/want/compensation for small wiener] and scramble it up with some fresh ground pepper.

Put in tupperware bucket and take with to work. eat when time comes. the smell will make you renowned as a great cook and women will flock to you.

That is like 400-800 cals based on amount of bacon and eggs. It also has a shit load of fiber and vitamins and all sorts of other BLAH BLAH BLAH.

See what i mean? Just cook all shit up and eat it. Want to add cals with good muscle making fat? cook with bacon. I season my cast iron pan with bacon for fuck sake. And in my experience I make big PR’s when my bacon intake is nice and constant.

Jokes aside, my bacon contains no AAS

any how, other good options for easy eats are:

Nuts
Cans of beans [open, drain, add some sauce and experience joy]
Campbells STAGG chili in a self opening can. has 16g fiber and 36g protein.
Make your own chili with all beef and beans ETCETC and put that shit in TUPPER WARE!
YEE HAW

That’s enough super hero coffee for me. you cook some animals on a hot surface and keep them on you at all times. someone tried to rob you you pull that shit out and choke him with it.

If danny can do it you can too:

-chris

55

[quote]brian.m wrote:
first of all, you eat 2700 calories…you know what you have to do, and thats all that matters, it doesnt matter if you did a “good job” tracking your baby meals online or not, thats not whats important…i was ALREADY eating close to double you (yes i worked up to it, and yes i threw up trying to learn to eat that much, and yes it worked) and i wasnt growing…so know what i did?

i started eating an extra 30 egg whites a day and drinking oil after meals when appropriate, to get some extra protein and liquid calories, when i’m short on time or whatever

i do this because i cant have any dairy at all (no shakes, milk etc), its kinda gross, i smell like egg farts, and very expensive, but i am going to make awsome progress again…what are YOU going to do to make sure you grow?[/quote]

Why not just 30 eggs and save the oil for greens dressing??

-chris

56

[quote]brian.m wrote:
first of all, you eat 2700 calories…you know what you have to do, and thats all that matters, it doesnt matter if you did a “good job” tracking your baby meals online or not, thats not whats important…i was ALREADY eating close to double you (yes i worked up to it, and yes i threw up trying to learn to eat that much, and yes it worked) and i wasnt growing…so know what i did?

i started eating an extra 30 egg whites a day and drinking oil after meals when appropriate, to get some extra protein and liquid calories, when i’m short on time or whatever

i do this because i cant have any dairy at all (no shakes, milk etc), its kinda gross, i smell like egg farts, and very expensive, but i am going to make awsome progress again…what are YOU going to do to make sure you grow?[/quote]

How much time do you spend a day cooking eggs and how do you make so many at once? Do you boil them in a huge pot or something?

57

[quote]Professor X wrote:
private message from IvanTheTerrible: I was hoping you could drill into some of the things you eat throughout the day. I know I’m doing something wrong -

I don’t like to go into that for one simple reason. I’m a big guy and someone a lot smaller than me shouldn’t eat just like me unless they find that doing so is actually what their own body needs to grow.

I don’t count calories specifically. I have a general idea of how much I am eating, but my intake is based on my scale weight when gaining. If the scale isn’t moving at all, than I usually just add more food until it is.

Exceptions to this would be periods where I am specifically trying to hold my body weight (so that my body gets used to it) or if I am trying to instigate some small change in composition while also holding the same weight. If I am just holding a weight, the primary reason for it is usually to establish a new weight set point.
[/quote]

Normally I don’t hijack, but I’ve gotta ask a couple things about the holding body weight to get the body use to that weight.

-Is this something you recommend for beginners-intermediates or would you consider this something only for advanced trainees and when did you yourself begin doing weight maintenance phases?

-How did you know when it was time to end the weight maintenance phase and start bulking again?

58

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:

Normally I don’t hijack, but I’ve gotta ask a couple things about the holding body weight to get the body use to that weight.

-Is this something you recommend for beginners-intermediates or would you consider this something only for advanced trainees and when did you yourself begin doing weight maintenance phases?

-How did you know when it was time to end the weight maintenance phase and start bulking again?[/quote]

  1. Any time you go from gaining weight to losing weight, or vice versa, it’s a good idea to hold your weight stead for a few weeks. The idea is that if you allow your body to acclimate to the new weight, you’ll be less likely to gain back the fat you lost or lose the muscle you gained.

  2. I can’t speak for X, but I’ve found that the 4-6 week range is about right for me.

59

Question about my workout…

On Monday I’ll be entering the exiting-end of a pendulum workout, where I went from strength, to hypertrophy, to power/speed (Monday I go back to hypertrophy, then the following week Strength.) So based on whats below, I already did weeks 1, 2 and almost done w 3. See below. Note: Tues and Thurs I do medicine ball core work and sandbag work.

I have 40 minutes 3X a week in the AM to work out, so I have to make it count. Below I have outlined what I’m doing. I plan to do another 5-week pendulum once this one is done.

Is there anything you would do differently in this workout?

Do you guys think I should do another pendulum?

In your opinions, whats better for a 3-day workout? An A/B split like the one below, or an A/B/C where legs get their own day?

week 1: Strength A: 5X3-5 DONE
Mon:
Squat
Bench Press
Bent Over Row

Wed:
Deadlift
Seated B. Shoulder Press
Weighted Pull Up

Fri:
Squat
Bench Press
Bent Over Row

Week 2: Hypertrophy A: 4X5/5 each movement DONE

Mon:
Superset 1: Deadlift / Romanian Deadlift
Superset 2: Standing D. Shoulder Press / Rear Delt Raises
Superset 3: Pull Ups / Chins Ups

Wed:
Superset 1: Front Squat / Squat
Superset 2: Incline Bench Press / Floor Flies
Superset 3: Bent Over Row / Dumbell Row

Fri:
Superset 1: Deadlift / Romanian Deadlift
Superset 2: Standing D. Shoulder Press / Rear Delt Raises
Superset 3: Pull Ups / Chins Ups

Week 3: Power A: 4X6

Mon: DONE
Power Clean
Ballistic Bench Press
Reverse Pull Up

Wed: DONE
Push Press
Jump Squat
Kipping Pull Up

Fri: (TOMORROW)
Power Clean
Ballistic Bench Press
Reverse Pull Up

Week 4: Hypertrophy B: 4X10

Mon:
Front Squat
Incline Bench Press
Bent Over Row

Wed:
Snatch Grip Deadlift
Lateral Raises
Pull Ups

Fri:
Front Squat
Incline Bench Press
Bent Over Row

Week 5: Strength B: 5X3-5

Mon:
Deadlift
Seated D. Shoulder Press
Lat Pull Down

Wed:
Squat
Bench Press
Bent Over Row

Fri:
Deadlift
Seated D. Shoulder Press
Lat Pull Down

60

Maybe it’s the placebo effect… maybe it’s mental… you be the judge.

I ate a total of 3600 calories yesterday… up 1000 calories from the day before (2700).

I also had juice with my shake this morning at 5:45AM, and instead of downing it, I sipped it throught my workout.

My energy levels at the gym were through the roof. I added weight to all my lifts, and overall intensity was crazy.

Was it the extra calories? The juice? My mind?

Who knows… what I do know is that’s it’s a new ball game, now!

Thanks all,
-I